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[03/20/15 - 11:37 PM]
Development Update: Friday, March 20
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our signature "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!
CUCKOO (NBC/Lionsgate; W: Kieron Quirke & Robin French; D: TBA) - Michael Chiklis and Cheryl Hines are the latest to be cast in the comedy pilot, based on the British series about Rachel (Rachel DiPillo), a daughter who comes back from a summer abroad married to a charming but infuriating eccentric named Cuckoo (Flula Borg), much to her father's annoyance. He'll play said father, Ken, with Hines as her mom, Lori. Griffin Gluck also stars. (Deadline.com)
DICE (Showtime, New!) - Comedian Andrew "Dice" Clay is set to star in a new single-camera comedy at the pay channel which "follows the comedian as he works in Las Vegas to resurrect his career while supporting his family. And his girlfriend. And his ex-fiancé. And his ex-wife. And his mother-in-law. And his son's band." The project, which has a six-episode order, comes from writer Scot Armstrong. Sean Furst, Bryan Furst, Richard Shepard, Bruce Rubenstein, Clay and Armstrong are the executive producers for Fox 21. Production is slated to begin this year for a 2016 premiere. (Deadline.com)
HAPPY LIFE (A.K.A. JOE TIME) (CBS/WBT; W: Bill Wrubel; D: James Burrows) - Minnie Driver ("About a Boy") and Bill Smitrovich have both been cast in the multi-camera comedy pilot, about Joe (Steven Weber), a family man who struggles with the fact that everyone around him is pursuing their dreams and enjoying life more than he is. She'll play his wife Maggie, "a former doctor who left that grind to embark on a new career teaching people mindful meditation out of her home studio." Said role is in second position to the NBC comedy. Smitrovich then is set as Mitch, "Judy's (Rita Moreno) husband. He's retired and quite happy about it, after handing over the family business to his sons, Joe and Scott (Eric Petersen). Mitch has recently surprised his family with the announcement that he's always been interested in music and is about to become a cabaret performer." Duane Martin, Alli Kinzel and Noland Ammon also star. (Deadline.com)
LA CRIME (ABC/ABCS; W: Steven Baigelman; D: Tom Shankland) - David Sullivan (Argo) has snagged a role in the anthology series pilot, about two LA cops as they track a Bonnie & Clyde-esque serial killer team amidst the rock-and-roll, coke-infused revelry of the 1980s Sunset Strip. He's set as Lou Bukowski, "a crass, loudmouth detective in charge of heading up the ongoing investigation of a possible Sunset Strip serial killer." Adam Rothenberg, Anne Winters, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Ed Westwick, Erika Christensen, Gabriel Luna, Holley Fain, Karolina Wydra and Taissa Farmiga also star. (Variety.com)
LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD (NBC/20th; W: Diana Son; D: George Tillman) - LeToya Luckett ("Single Ladies") has been cast in the drama pilot, in which race, sexuality and gender roles collide when three diverse couples put modern marriage to the test. She'll play Tandi, "a happily married woman and mother, who is experiencing difficulties fulfilling her dream of having a second child." In addition, George Tillman has signed on to direct and executive produce. Brian Tee, Colin Donnell, Cynthia McWilliams, Monet Mazur, Nadine Velazquez and Rockmund Dunbar also star. (THR.com)
SHARING (NBC/Universal; W: Jeremy Bronson; D: Beth McCarthy-Miller) - Actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse and director Beth McCarthy-Miller have both been added to the pilot, a workplace comedy about the different groups of people working side by side in a shared office space. He'll play Grant, "an eager-to-please and confident office receptionist who tries hard and wants everyone to like him, but isn't that competent." Christine Taylor, Jack Carpenter, Greta Lee, Jerry Minor and Stephen Schneider also star. (Variety.com)
SONGLAND (NBC, New!) - "The Voice" executive producer Audrey Morrissey and coach Adam Levine are set to team with Grammy Award-winning songwriter Dave Stewart for a new reality series which "will pull back the curtain on the song marketplace and the power brokers within it. The project is expected to feature everyday people with compelling stories who get the opportunity to pitch original compositions to the music industry's biggest producers and artists, all hunting for the next global smash." Morrissey, Dave Stewart Entertainment's Stewart, Live Animals' Ivan Dudynsky and 222 Productions' Levine and Jordan Feldstein are the executive producers of the pilot. (THR.com)
UNTITLED TOMMY JOHNAGIN PROJECT (CBS/WBT; W: Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker & Tommy Johnagin; D: TBA) - Kevin Nealon and Jane Kaczmarek are the latest additions to the multi-camera project, which revolves around a stand-up comic (Tommy Johnagin) raising a family in a small Midwestern town. He'll play "Tommy's dad Jack, a charming but manipulative loose cannon who flirts with every woman and says everything with a smile - but has a self-destructive streak and ruined his marriage to Linda (Kaczmarek), Tommy's responsible mother who owns a local diner. Linda still treats her adult children like babies and loves a chance to brag about Tommy's talk-show appearances and career path. She has held her ex-husband in absolute contempt for the past 17 years and forces him to eat at the crappiest seat in her restaurant." JoAnna Garcia Swisher and Talia Tabin also star. (Deadline.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - HBO has reportedly given a six-episode limited series order to Matthew Michael Carnahan and Steve McQueen's drama pilot "Codes of Conduct" (Deadline.com); Henry Zebrowski, Ryan Guzman and Gatlin Green are the latest additions to NBC's "Heroes Reborn" revival (Deadline.com); Tim Guinee's Collis Potter Huntington has been upped to series regular on "Hell on Wheels" (Deadline.com); Andrew Howard has booked a six-episode arc on TNT's "Agent X" as "a physically lethal and diabolically brilliant man who is an international chaos merchant" (Deadline.com); Lindsey Gort will recur on TV Land's "Impastor" as "a high-end escort" (Deadline.com); and Zachary Levi has inked a first-look deal with Universal Television (Deadline.com).
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[04/24/26 - 12:00 PM]
What's New on HBO Max This May
Highlights include season two of "On The Roam," comedy special "Josh Johnson: Symphony," documentary series "U.S. Against The World: Four Years With The Men's National Soccer Team," new episode of "The Yogurt Shop Murders," and documentary "The A List: 15 Stories From Asia And Pacific Diasporas."
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[04/24/26 - 11:16 AM]
"Wuthering Heights" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max May 1
The Emerald Fennell film stars Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, whose forbidden passion for one another turns from romantic to intoxicating in an epic tale of lust, love and madness.
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[04/24/26 - 09:01 AM]
Zizians Documentary Series Set at HBO
The multi-part documentary series explores the Zizians, an enigmatic group of young technologists who garnered national attention in 2025 after law enforcement linked members of the group to a series of violent crimes across the country.
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[04/24/26 - 08:59 AM]
NBA Playoffs Return to NBC Sports Delivers Big Viewership Gains Over First Three Nights
NBC Sports' first six NBA Playoff games averaged 4.9 million viewers, up 38% vs. comparable coverage last year and the most-watched for the first Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights of the playoffs since 1994.
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[04/24/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: New Featurette - Hulu Original Series "Rivals" Season 2
Ahead of the highly anticipated second season of the Emmy and BAFTA award-winning "Rivals," Hulu has released a new recap featurette.
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[04/24/26 - 08:00 AM]
La La Anthony, Rutina Wesley, Taylor Polidore Williams, DeVaughn Nixon and Alexxis Lemire Join Season 4 of Hulu's Hit Legal Drama "Reasonable Doubt" as Recurring Guest Stars
Morris Chestnut, Joseph Sikora and Brandee Evans also return as recurring guest stars.
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[04/24/26 - 07:01 AM]
"Scooby-Doo: Origins" Starts Production in Atlanta
A modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their very special dog.
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[04/24/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Gordon" - First Look - Netflix
Based on the novel by Marcelo Larraquy, "Gordon" arrives on Netflix in 2026.
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[04/23/26 - 11:41 PM]
Prime Video Unleashes UK's Biggest Digital Stars in Highly Anticipated Comedy Reality Series, "Would You Rather: Decide to Survive"
The series will launch exclusively worldwide on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in June 2026.
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[04/23/26 - 09:00 PM]
The Vampire Lestat's Gritty Cover of Billy Idol's Legendary Song "Dancing with Myself" Is Now Available on All Digital Platforms
AMC Global Media and Lakeshore Records released the single on the Vampire Lestat artist profile pages at major digital music services, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
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[04/23/26 - 03:13 PM]
"Euphoria" Season 3 Premiere Surpasses 20M Global Viewers, Up 68% vs. Season 2
Episode 2 matched the premiere with approximately 8.5 million U.S. viewers in its first three days.
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[04/23/26 - 02:50 PM]
Goal! ESPN Airs Two Most-Viewed First Round Game 2's on Cable Ever, Continuing Successful Start to 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Monday's Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins matchup (Game 2, 7 p.m. ET) delivered 1.6 million viewers and Tuesday's Boston Bruins-Buffalo Sabres matchup (Game 2, 7:30 p.m.) delivered 1.2 million viewers, setting the new Game 2 record.
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[04/23/26 - 02:02 PM]
"The Cult of Natureboy," A New Four-Part Docuseries That Offers a Raw and Unfiltered Look Inside a Modern Cult, Premieres April 28 on Hulu
In 2016, a rising social media star named Eligio Bishop, also known as "NatureBoy," used his platforms to recruit followers into a group he called Carbon Nation, encouraging them to abandon their families and join his vision of a self-proclaimed Black utopia.
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[04/23/26 - 01:03 PM]
Apple TV Sets New Comedy Series, Elizabeth Banks to Star and Executive Produce
The series is set to begin production in Los Angeles this year.
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[04/23/26 - 12:19 PM]
USA Sports Delivers Most-Watched Match in LOVB Volleyball History to Cap Inaugural Season of Record Viewership on USA Network
The first Finals match on Thursday, April 16, which Salt Lake won 3-2 in a closely-contested fifth set, averaged 163,000 viewers, ranking as the most-watched LOVB game of all-time.
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